First Love
by cutwing
Summary: It's about what would happen if Alanna's daughter got together with Jon's son. This is my first fanfic, so it's not very good. Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Tortall or Alanna or Jon or pretty much anything else except for Stephanie, Briana and Kourem.  
  
A/N: This is my first fanfic, which is why it is so one dimensional. But please R&R because I love to hear back from readers.  
  
Chapter 1: Party  
  
Briana looked out at the sky outside and swore softly in exasperation. The sun had only just set and already she was bored. The party would undoubtedly continue for hours; well into the next day. She looked over at her parents, George and Alanna of Pirate's Swoop, hoping they could leave soon, but they both looked content, laughing and talking with their old friends, King Jonathan and his knights. She sighed and looked around for somewhere to escape to.  
She noticed a small alcove nearby. Looking around to make sure that no one was watching her; she quietly walked over to the alcove and disappeared from the ballroom.  
The room was the perfect hiding spot. A curtain covered the doorway, and there was a small chair to sit in, with several cushions on the floor. The only problem with it was that it was already occupied by none other than Prince Kourem, King Jonathan's son.  
"Oh! My prince!" Briana bowed down low, looking at the floor, "I'm sorry to disturb you. I'll just go..."  
"Oh, no! I was just about to leave anyway." Prince Kourem was on his feet, inching toward the door.  
"Wait!" said Briana, "why don't we both stay? There's enough room; I can sit on a cushion on the floor. I don't think either of us wants to go back out there." To convince him, she plopped down on a pillow on the floor and looked up at him.  
This was the first time Briana got a good look at the Prince. When she did, she froze.  
Sparkling blue eyes, so like his father's, looked back at her. They were partially hidden by a few wisps of coal-black hair that fell into his face. No wonder all the young ladies of the court gossiped about him. He was just as handsome as they said.  
Briana quickly looked away, and Kourem did the same. A thought surged through her mind before she could stop it: Had he been thinking about her looks? Had he been having the same thoughts as me?  
My looks are nothing compared to his, she told herself, he sees many more beautiful princesses all the time, why would he think me pretty?  
Briana self-consciously started playing with her long, auburn braid. It wasn't my looks, she told herself, he was just startled by my eyes like everyone else.  
Briana had inherited her mother's purple eyes. While it was nice to get all the attention they brought, it was very hard to disguise herself. Someone was bound to recognize her.  
To break the silence she said, "Who are you hiding from, Your Highness?"  
"Oh, the usual." He laughed. "My mother always wants me to meet someone or other. I get so tired of making small talk. Tonight she wanted me to meet the Lady Knight, the King's Champion, Alanna or something...  
"That's my mother!" Briana said, laughing, "I don't blame you for not wanting to meet her. She can be real pain when she wants to!"  
"So I hear," the Prince agreed, "Is her temper as bad as they say?" "Worse!" Briana exclaimed. They both laughed. "We should probably be getting back, "Prince Kourem sighed.  
"You go, I'm staying here. I've been sitting alone all night,' Briana said bitterly, "no one will miss me."  
"I will," Prince Kourem said softly. She looked up at him and their eyes met. She looked away and sighed.  
"We should be getting back," she said. She stood up slowly, feeling her face go red, and before he could say anything, she slipped out into the crowded ball room. 


	2. Chat

Chapter 2  
  
Briana looked around and immediately saw the man she was looking for. He was easily the tallest one in the room, with his head and shoulders above the crowd: Raoul of Goldenlake.  
  
"Raoul!" Briana called above the din, "Raoul!"  
  
The large man turned around and saw Briana. He moved easily through the crowd to where Briana stood.  
  
Raoul was one of Briana's mother's friends from when she was earning her knighthood, one of the few that knew that Alanna wasn't the boy that she pretended to be so she could become a knight. They had remained close friends, so Briana had grown up with Raoul as an uncle and his daughter, Stephanie, as a best friend.  
  
"Where is Stephanie?" she asked.  
  
"Hmmm... Last time I checked she was with her mother," Raoul pondered. "You should go see if she still is."  
  
"Thanks!" Briana called over her shoulder as she walked off. She quickly scanned the room for Raoul's wife, Buri. She saw her chatting in a corner. A short dark-hired girl in a flowing green dress stood beside her. Briana threaded her way through the crowds over to the small group.  
  
"Stephanie!" Briana hissed. The girl in the green dress looked around and saw Briana standing nearby. After whispering something in her mother's ear, Stephanie left the group and headed over to where Briana stood.  
  
"I need to talk to you," Briana said to her, "privately."  
  
The two girls threaded their way through the crowds to an empty corner where they could talk.  
  
"What's going on?" Stephanie asked.  
  
"I think I'm in love!" Briana sighed.  
  
Stephanie raised an eyebrow and waited for Briana to continue her story.  
  
"Well..." Briana began. When she had finished her story, Stephanie sucked in a breath.  
  
"Briana..." she paused, "I would be careful if I were you," she cautioned, "it sounds like you're falling for him."  
  
"So?" Briana retorted, "Why is that such a bad thing?"  
  
"It wouldn't go anywhere," Briana cocked her head questioningly and Stephanie continued, "Do you really think that he would marry you Briana? He has to marry someone that will help the kingdom, all of Tortall, not just one family."  
  
"Why would I be a bad choice?" Briana asked her friend, "King Jonathan nearly married my mother, and she wasn't even the King's Champion. She was just a young girl from a small fief. Besides," she continued, "who said anything about marriage?"  
  
"Briana..." Stephanie started to caution her friend, but stopped, "Just be careful, Briana. Promise me you'll be careful. Don't give your heart away just yet."  
  
Later that night, while lying in bed, Briana thought about what her friend had told her. Of course she would be careful. It's not like she was going off on an adventure like her mother.  
  
Of course, she hadn't ever been on an adventure. Her mother wouldn't let her. Briana sighed and rolled over in bed. Why couldn't she ever do anything interesting? Her mother Alanna had been fighting in alongside real knights by her age. Briana knew much about spying and horse-back riding from her father, and enough about hand-to-hand combat to defend herself. But this wasn't good enough for Alanna. Briana wasn't allowed to do anything alone. Not even travel to the next village to visit her friends who lived there. She always had to be accompanied by a guard. Two if Alanna had her way. Briana sighed again. Why couldn't her mother let her grow up? She was more than ready to face the world.  
  
A/N I'm so sorry it's short! I will write more next time I promise. YAY! It's great that people are reading AND reviewing (I need the encouragement or I will feel unwanted sniff, sniff). Keep it coming! 


	3. Ride

Chapter 3  
Briana woke up early the next morning and saddled her horse, Moondance, for her daily ride.  
  
At home, Briana would usually rife through the village and surrounding woods and fields.  
  
But, since she and her family were visiting Corus, the capital of Tortall, Briana decided to ride through the King's Forest.  
  
Groups from the castle would often go riding and hunting in the forest and this morning was no different. As Briana approached the forest, she saw a group of people entering the forest. Among them was King Jonathan. Briana made a mental note to make more noise than usual so that the hunting party would not mistake her for their prey. 'See,' she told her mother silently, 'I can take care of myself.'  
  
Briana passed most of the morning riding peacefully by herself under the green canopy of the King's Forest. But suddenly, a rider appeared beside her out of the brush. Briana had been making more noise than usual, so she had not heard the rider approaching. She tensed her muscles, ready to fend off an attack and turned slowly to face the rider. He was wearing a hood that obscured his face. He slowly took off his hood and Briana saw that it was...  
  
"Prince Kourem!" Briana exclaimed, "Goddess, you scared me!"  
  
"Really?" he asked laughing, "I usually don't have that effect on people."  
  
With his slight build, Prince Kourem didn't look very intimidating, but Briana knew that he was one of the best knights of the realm.  
  
"I didn't hear you coming. What were you doing, sneaking up on me like that?" Briana asked him.  
  
"I wanted to surprise you," he said, "Besides; I didn't want anyone to notice me leaving the hunting party. They would probably come looking for me. But I had to see you," he added.  
  
Briana felt her face blush at the last words. "And why would that be, Your Highness?" she asked  
  
"Please, my name is Kourem. But I do not know yours," he admitted, "Imagine falling for a girl whose name I don't even know."  
  
Uhh... W-well...," Briana took a deep breath to collect herself. Had he said he was falling for her, or was she imagining it? She took a second shot at speaking. "I am Briana of Pirate's Swoop, Your Highness. I-I mean, Kourem."  
  
Kourem. She loved the way it rolled of her tongue. Kourem. Kourem. She could say his name all day long.  
  
"Briana. What a beautiful name," Kourem murmured.  
  
Briana tried to speak but her voice caught in her throat. Kourem placed his finger over her mouth and shook his head. Slowly, gently, he pressed his lips to hers.  
Briana, surprised, stiffened and pulled back.  
  
"What is it Briana?" Kourem asked, concerned, "Is something wrong?"  
  
What are you doing? Briana asked herself. Just let him kiss you!  
  
"Nothing," Briana said out loud, "Nothing at all." She leaned in towards him and kissed him, softly at first, and then their kisses became deeper, more passionate. Each kiss seemed sweeter than the last and time stood still. Briana had no idea how long it had been when they heard men calling.  
  
"Oh no," breathed Kourem, "They're looking for me. I have to go."  
  
Briana's heart sank. Why did he have to leave now? She needed to kiss him again. It felt like hours since they had broken apart. How could she survive the rest of the day without him?  
  
He straightened up and looked at her. "Are you going to watch the jousting at the tournament tomorrow?"  
  
"I-I was planning on attending with Lord Raoul and Lady Buri (A/N If I got that title wrong, please tell me)," Briana stammered, suddenly feeling shy.  
  
"Then I'll see you there tomorrow." He kissed her one last time and then rode away in the direction of the voices.  
  
Briana watched him disappear into the trees. As soon as he was gone, Briana turned Moondance towards home, eager for the next day to arrive.  
  
After as Briana had unsaddled Moondance in the royal stables, she gave her a couple of carrots and left the stable. As she emerged into the sunshine, she saw Stephanie walking in the gardens and called out to her.  
  
Briana joined her friend on a bench underneath a shady tree. "Let me guess," Stephanie said, "does this have anything to do with a certain prince by the name of Kourem?"  
  
"You know me too well," Briana laughed, and looked up at the green leaves of the tree. She sighed deeply and said dreamily, "I saw him today, in the forest. He saw me riding Moondance and came over to us."  
  
"And then?" Stephanie asked impatiently. This new, dreamy Briana didn't agree with her at all. Stephanie was usually the quiet dreamer. She hoped that Briana would snap out of it soon.  
  
"He kissed me," Briana told her, the scene playing back in her head, "Ooohhhh, Stephanie, it was wonderful. I think I'm in love."  
  
To Briana's surprise, her friend didn't grin at her or sigh dreamily. Instead, she looked at Briana in a concerned way. "Briana..."  
  
"What? What is it? What's wrong? Am I doing something to upset you?" Briana spat.  
  
"Briana... I think you should try to steer clear of him... You're just going to get your heart broken. No, wait Briana," Stephanie continued, "He has to marry someone who is good for the country, and, somehow, I don't think that that's you. Besides, you barely know him"  
  
"I know we only jut met," Briana said, "but I feel like we've known each other forever. We just fit so well together. Like it's meant to be..."  
  
"Briana..." Stephanie said again.  
  
What? What is it?" Briana snapped. "You're just jealous because no man fancies you. You need to grow up, Stephanie. Let me know when you have."  
  
With that, Briana stormed off leaving Stephanie sitting on the bench, shaking her head. Briana was the one who needed to grow up. She was always diving into things head first, thinking later. Sooner or later Briana would have to realize it, but until then, Stephanie could wait.  
  
(A/N: I don't writ fast, so please tell me in your reviews if you want short chapters sooner, or longer chapters a bit farther apart. I'm not trying to be mean, I just want to know what people think.)  
  
Nubia: I know they've been short, but I have been horse back riding a lot and not having much time to write!  
  
Wieryn's daughter & alyios: Thank you so much!  
  
Flamy ice angel: what do you mean by more details?  
  
Pinky: OMG! I forgot all about Roald! But he comes in handy, so thanks! It's too late to do the childhood friends thing, so I think that I might have a goddess at work? Good idea? Let me know! 


End file.
